Accor to manage 588-room Dubai hotel

Dubai, April 21, 2008

Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) has signed a management agreement with Accor Hospitality for a new hotel development in Dubai Trade Centre District (DTCD).

DTCD is an integrated commercial destination under construction.

Under the terms of the agreement, Accor will manage a new Ibis Hotel within DTCD, adding an additional 588 rooms for business and leisure travellers to Dubai in the first quarter of 2011.

The deal builds upon the long-standing relationship between DWTC and Accor, which saw the 210-room Ibis World Trade Centre hotel introduced as the first internationally-affiliated business economy hotel in the Middle East in 2003, said a statement.

Helal Almarri, director general, DWTC, said: “We have firm plans in place to develop DTCD into the world’s leading integrated commercial destination for the business travellers, and the provision of quality, comfortable accommodation is a core part of that strategy. DWTC is in the process of finalising agreements with major hotel operators, from the highest end of the luxury segment through to business economy, to ensure access to a wide range of options for executives and visitors.”

“The expertise of the management team, coupled with the ideal location of the new Ibis hotel, will provide a compelling offering within Dubai’s fast-growing hospitality sector,” he added.

Upon completion, Phase One of DTCD will offer over 240,000 sq m of Grade A office space, along with a premium range of meeting, retail and hospitality facilities, providing a vibrant commercial centre in the heart of Dubai. In addition, state-of-the-art conference and convention facilities to be developed subsequently will attract some of the world’s most prestigious events.

Christophe Landais, managing director, Accor Middle East, said: “Most evidently, DTCD being one of the most important commercial hubs within the region, we believe that the second Ibis hotel with DWTC will provide an integral offering meeting business needs of this major business landmark.”

“We will look to build on the brand heritage established by our longstanding relationship with DWTC to provide a unique customer experience at a competitive price,” he added.

Ibis is Europe's leading economy hotel network and is designed to meet the needs and expectations of a broad spectrum of customers who travel regularly on business or leisure.

This new Ibis development with DTCD further compliments Accor’s rapidly expanding network in key business locations in the Middle East. The company has a strong development record across the region and has recently announced plans to open 23 Ibis hotels by 2011.

As a leading developer of hotel offerings across all market segments, from economy to luxury, Accor Hospitality continues to expand its regional portfolio of four brands – Sofitel, Mercure, Novotel and Ibis. With 45 new properties under construction, Accor fully aims to reach its ambitious target of opening 70 hotels opened within four years in the Middle East, said the statement.

DWTC’s two major commercial destination projects – DTCD and Dubai Exhibition City – will add over 10,000 hotel rooms to the UAE’s overall capacity in the hospitality sector when all phases of both developments are completed, it said. – TradeArabia News Service